Entry requirements, seasons, driving, lodging, payment, cancellation: this Costa Rica travel FAQ gathers the answers to the questions our travelers ask most often while planning their trip.
If yours is not here, our team, based in Costa Rica since 2014, answers you 7 days a week.
Your passport must be valid for at least one day after your date of entry into Costa Rica (we strongly recommend at least six months of validity, to travel with peace of mind and avoid any problem with connecting flights).
You must hold a return ticket or an onward ticket to another country.
Citizens of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union and many other countries do not need a visa for a tourist stay of less than 90 days.
For longer stays or other nationalities, a visa may be required.
Although not always mandatory, travel insurance covering medical and repatriation costs is strongly recommended.
If you rent a vehicle, also check what your insurance covers.
No vaccination is mandatory, except yellow fever for travelers arriving from (or transiting for more than 12 hours through) a country where the disease is present.
Recommended: make sure routine vaccinations are up to date (tetanus, diphtheria, polio, hepatitis A and B).
Some fresh products may not be brought into the country (fruit, meat, plants).
Luggage is usually checked on arrival.
On arrival, the authorities may ask for proof of your lodging and of sufficient funds for your stay.
The departure tax (about USD 29) is now included in almost all international airline tickets; simply check your booking.
Travelers holding a national driver’s license (United States, Canada, United Kingdom, European Union, etc.) can drive legally in Costa Rica for the length of their tourist stay (up to 90 days).
Your license must be valid and carried with your passport bearing the entry stamp.
An international driving permit is not required if your license uses the Latin alphabet.
Some rental companies may still ask for it, so it is worth bringing one to avoid any complication.
To rent a car in Costa Rica, you usually need to be at least 21 (sometimes 23, depending on the company) and to have held your license for at least one year.
An international credit card in the main driver’s name is required for the deposit.
Mandatory local insurance (Responsabilidad Civil) is always included in the rental contract.
Traffic drives on the right.
Seat belts are mandatory for all passengers.
Legal blood alcohol limit: 0.5 g/l, lower for new drivers. The wisest choice is not to drink before driving.
Watch the speed limits, which are often low and enforced.
Roads can be narrow and winding: take extra care in the rainy season.
Would you rather not drive? Our tours with a private driver-guide let you enjoy the road; our self-drive tours are designed for relaxed driving, with stops of several nights.
Travel insurance (medical costs, repatriation, cancellation, luggage…) is not automatically included in the price of the tour.
Each traveler is free to take out their own insurance, either with their usual insurer or through a specialist company.
Health care in Costa Rica is of good quality, but medical costs for foreigners can be high.
In case of an accident, a cancellation or lost luggage, insurance lets you travel with peace of mind.
Some car rental companies also require the driver to have additional coverage.
Medical and hospital costs (ideally with unlimited or very high coverage).
Medical repatriation to your home country.
Cancellation cover in case something unexpected happens before departure.
Luggage cover and personal liability abroad.
We do not issue international airline tickets: you book them yourself, and we help you choose them well.
We tell you which airlines serve San José and Liberia, the country’s two international airports, and which airport is most convenient for your itinerary.
We help you find the most comfortable schedules and connections.
We fit your program around your flight times: welcome on arrival, first and last nights.
We recommend booking 4 to 6 months in advance: lodges and boutique hotels have few rooms, and booking early leaves you a choice of dates, stops and activities.
For the high season (December to April), and especially for Christmas, New Year and Easter, 8 to 10 months in advance is not too early.
A sooner departure is still possible: we then work with the availability of the moment.
Costa Rica can be visited all year round; it all depends on what you are looking for.
The most popular time for beaches and hiking, under generally clear skies.
The Guanacaste landscapes turn golden, but conditions for driving and visiting are ideal.
Showers fall mostly in the afternoon; mornings are often fine and the forest is a deep green.
Prices are lower, sites are quieter, waterfalls are full and wildlife is very active. It is also the turtle nesting season on the Caribbean coast.
The country has many microclimates: it can rain on one side of the mountains and be sunny on the other. The Caribbean coast often enjoys its best weeks in September and October.
We help you choose the right time and the order of your stops according to what you want to do. See also our guide to the best time to visit Costa Rica.
Domestic flights in Costa Rica are often operated by small airlines, such as Sansa Airlines.
Luggage rules are therefore different from international flights:
Sansa, the airline we work with, currently allows one small carry-on of about 4.5 kg (10 lb).
A small personal item (handbag, laptop) is also allowed.
Checked luggage is limited to about 14 kg (30 lb) per person.
Excess weight is charged by the kilo, about USD 2 per kilo, subject to space on board.
Choose soft bags or backpacks, which are easier to stow in small planes.
Avoid fragile items in checked luggage: space is limited and handling may be less careful than on international flights.
These allowances can change: we confirm the current rules with your program.
For your comfort, we recommend traveling light on domestic flights, taking only the essentials for one or two days if your itinerary has several stops.
Credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, sometimes American Express) are widely accepted in hotels, restaurants and larger shops, but it is wise to carry cash for small shops, local markets and some tours.
US dollars (USD) are accepted throughout the country, preferably in small bills (1, 5, 10, 20 and 50 USD).
ATMs are found in towns and some tourist areas, but can be scarce in rural areas.
Euros, pounds and Canadian dollars are not legal tender and are hard to exchange locally.
Colones cannot easily be exchanged once you are back home: spend or change them before you leave.
At Vacances au Costa Rica, we recommend bringing a mix of US dollars in cash and a bank card, so you can travel with peace of mind and enjoy every local experience.
The power supply is 110 volts, 60 Hz, as in the United States and Canada.
Sockets are type A or B (flat pins): North American plugs work as they are, while UK and European devices need an adapter.
Most chargers (phone, laptop, camera) accept 100-240 V, so a simple adapter is enough. For an appliance designed only for 220-240 V (a hair dryer, for example), you need a voltage converter.
The agency was founded by Vincent, a Belgian-born globetrotter who has lived in Costa Rica for more than forty years.
Since 2014, our team, based in San Francisco de Heredia, has been designing tailor-made trips and looking after each traveler before, during and after their stay. You can read our story.
Both. Each itinerary is built around your pace and your wishes, in the form that suits you:
a self-drive tour, to travel independently with a rental car;
a small group tour, with fixed departure dates;
or a fully tailor-made trip, starting from one of our tours or from a blank page.
We choose places we know, often family-run, for their welcome, their setting and their respect for the environment. Depending on your wishes and budget:
Deep in nature, in the forest or the mountains, often built with local materials: you fall asleep to the frogs and wake up with the birds.
On the Pacific or Caribbean coast, from small hotels right on the sand to more comfortable places with a pool and restaurant.
Facing Arenal or Rincón de la Vieja, often with hot springs and trails starting from the hotel.
For the first or last night, close to the airport or the historic center.
Family or connecting rooms, a pool, activities suited to children.
We are happy to explain why we recommend each one. See also our guide to eco-lodges in Costa Rica.
Our trips showcase Costa Rican nature and culture: wildlife watching, hikes in national parks, kayaking, swimming under waterfalls, ziplining above the canopy, meetings with local communities, craft workshops and food discoveries.
Yes, many of our tours are designed especially for families.
We choose suitable lodging, comfortable drives and activities that work for young children as well as teenagers.
Yes. Our small group tours bring together 6 to 8 travelers on fixed dates: few enough to keep things friendly and flexible, enough to share the discoveries.
It is how we work: stops of several nights rather than daily moves, lodging that is often family-run, local naturalist guides, and encounters with committed communities and producers, such as the Indigenous community of Yorkín or Finca Sura, an organic farm.
Depending on the option you choose, you drive a rental car (self-drive tour), you travel with a private driver-guide, or you combine the two. Shuttle transfers or short domestic flights sometimes complete the journey.
Distances look short on the map but roads are slow: we build every itinerary with reasonable drives to avoid tiring days.
No. Our team answers you in English before and during the trip, and English is widely spoken in hotels and on tours. A few words of Spanish are always appreciated.
Our travelers come mostly from France, Belgium, Switzerland and Canada, and we also welcome English-speaking travelers: couples, families, friends, solo travelers and active seniors looking for a trip at their own pace, far from mass tourism.
We also offer trips designed for women with Évasion Féminine.
The simplest way is to fill in our quote request or to write to us. After a first conversation to understand what you are looking for, we send you a personalized proposal, which we adjust with you.
Once the program is approved, we send you the invoice; the deposit confirms the booking.
Of course. Tell us what matters to you, for example:
your dietary preferences (vegetarian, allergies, intolerances);
your lodging needs (accessibility, ground-floor room, separate beds);
your interests: birds, photography, culture, hiking, relaxation;
a special occasion: honeymoon, birthday.
The earlier we know, the better we can plan for it.
An agency on the ground, in Costa Rica since 2014: we know the roads, the lodging and the guides we recommend.
A trip built with you, at your pace and around your interests.
A team you can reach before and during your stay, and at any hour in an emergency.
Responsible travel that respects nature and the people who welcome us.
The best way to judge is to read what our travelers say.
Until your trip is confirmed, your program remains fully adjustable: after receiving the quote, you can ask us to change the dates, stops, activities or lodging, free of charge.
Once the booking is confirmed, any change must be requested by email. The fees are as follows:
On site, if you would like to extend a stop or add an activity, our team advises you and arranges what is possible depending on availability.
Full details are in our terms and conditions.
Any cancellation must be requested by email; we acknowledge it and handle the formalities. Fees for full or partial cancellation are as follows:
Services not used during the stay, by the traveler’s choice, are not refunded.
We therefore recommend taking out cancellation insurance as soon as you book (illness, accident, family emergency…). For small group tours, special conditions apply if the minimum number of participants is not reached.
Full details are in our terms and conditions.
Before your departure, our team answers you Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Costa Rica time), by email, phone or WhatsApp: itinerary, lodging, preparations.
During your stay, we remain reachable 7 days a week at the same hours and, in an emergency, at any time on +506 8327-9335: a problem on the road, a health issue, something unexpected. A team that lives here can act quickly, and that often makes all the difference.
We accept the following payment methods:
International bank transfer (the most widely used and secure method)
Credit card (Visa, Mastercard) through a secure payment link
Payment in installments: a 30% deposit on receipt of the invoice, then the 70% balance no later than 45 days before your arrival
Invoices are issued in US dollars (USD).
Yes. Card payments go through a secure banking platform (encrypted connection); your card details are neither stored nor shared by the agency.
The deposit, 30% of the total amount, is due on receipt of your invoice, once your personalized program has been approved. It allows us to book your lodging, activities and services on site.
If you book less than 45 days before your arrival, the full amount is due on receipt of the invoice.
The balance, 70% of the total amount, is due no later than 45 days before your arrival in Costa Rica. This allows us to confirm all your bookings (lodging, transport, activities).
Full details are in our terms and conditions.
If you run into difficulties paying by card, there are several solutions:
Check that your card is enabled for international online payments (often an option to activate with your bank).
Check your payment limit: if it has been reached, or is too low for the amount due, your bank can raise it temporarily on request.
Try another card (Visa or Mastercard).
If the problem persists, we can offer an international bank transfer, a simple and secure method.
In any case, our team is here to help you find the best solution.
Didn’t find your question?
Write to us: our team answers in English, 7 days a week.
